Anorexia & Bulimia

Eating disorders are patterns that lead to unhealthy lifestyles, both physically and psychologically. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are both classed as mental illnesses, requiring treatment to overcome. They have different signs and symptoms, but are often grouped together as sufferers have a common fear of gaining weight and go to great lengths to avoid it, and a distorted body image.

Co-occurring disorders of both mental illness and substance abuse are staggeringly prevalent. Mental illnesses put people in vulnerable positions where making good decisions is difficult, so it is understandable that many sufferers turn to drugs or alcohol. This is why at LifeREstyle, we use dual-diagnosis to address both conditions simultaneously, leading to a whole recovery to a healthy and happy life.

Signs & Symptoms

Anorexia

Signs of anorexia include constant worry about weight (even when below a safe weight for your age), eating less and less, smoking or chewing gum to keep weight down, obsessively standing on scales or checking reflection, withdrawing from social situations involving eating, wearing baggy clothes and avoiding mealtimes.

Anorexic patients go to extreme lengths to maintain a slim figure, including excessive exercise, laxatives, purging, diet pills and diuretics, keeping their weight below a safe level for their age. They tend not to accept their condition, which can make approaching a friend or loved one difficult.

Bulimia

Bulimia nervosa is characterized by cycles of binging and purging, putting significant stress on the body. Signs of bulimia include constant worry about weight, binge eating, vomiting or using laxatives to get rid of calories, feeling tired and guilty, and staying the same weight in spite of efforts to diet.